Text4Baby is a nationwide program sponsored by Johnson & Johnson. The program is offered through Oklahoma's leading health agencies to help reduce the infant mortality rate.

About 14,000 Oklahoma mothers have signed up for the free text alerts over the last 3 years, but now the program is offering a new feature - personalized messages and reminders linking them to Oklahoma healthcare providers.

"Pregnant women have lots of appointments and even after the child is born they have well child visits that we want to make sure the child is attending," said Daryn Kirkpatrick, an Oklahoma health care authority.

The Oklahoma Healthcare Authority and Oklahoma State Health Department partnered with other agencies to provide the alerts. The goal is to reduce the state's infant mortality rate which stands at 7.9 percent.

"It encourages you to keep going and to provide the best care for your baby as you can," said Spriggs. "I believe it's very helpful."

To sign up for the free alerts text "BABY" to 511411 for alerts in English or "BEBE" to 511411 for alerts in Spanish. Recipients will receive alerts until the baby is one year old.

To learn more about the free alerts and how to have a healthy baby, visit the website at www.text4baby.org and http://iio.health.ok.gov.